168 – “Does My Brazil Look Big in This?”

 

This little piece of fashion cartography was made by Dutch artist Coriette Schoenaerts, based in Amsterdam and London. On her website, she explains why she went to the trouble to organize expensive clothing into the outlines of South America (here), the Netherlands (here) and Europe (here):

“The central theme of [Rails Magazine] was countries and borders. Contrary to the usual fashion photography, that shows off the newest clothes on a human body and wants to sell an ideal, I made still lives depicting maps and landscapes.”

One has to wonder, though, whether it wouldn’t have been better to compose the maps of clothing more ’suited’ to each map. But then again, maybe Coriette didn’t have enough tanga slips to fill out the whole of South America. It seems they’re rolled up to compose the Falkland Islands. Most of the South American countries are well defined, although Argentinians might object to that brown shawl representing the southern part of Chile, intruding too far into Patagonia. Also, Uruguay, Ecuador and the Guyanas will probably mind being left off the map, even if it’s a less conventional one.

Interesting and possibly unintended cartographic analogy: the folds in the bed cover resemble the latitudinal and longitudinal lines  on maps.

Thanks to George for providing the link.